Flames and Icicles
by RuRoo Bookie
Summary: Taking place during Harry Potter's 6th year at Hogwarts, and with Voldemort back, foul play is lurking inside Hogwarts forcing everyone to take caution. A few strong teens could lead the way into a new revolution, or will evil break young hearts? HGDM
1. Twisted Respect, Chess, and Gold String

Summary: Taking place during Harry Potter and Company's 6th year at Hogwarts, Voldemort has been officially declared back, and he is growing stronger. The Sorting Hat's warnings, attacks on muggles and wizards alike, and foul play lurking inside Hogwarts forces everyone to take caution. A few strong teens might be able to lead the way into a new revolution…or will evil find a way to break young hearts? A Draco/Hermione story.

Disclaimer: I **DO NOT** own any of J.K. Rolling's works…only my quirkiness.

Flames and Icicles 

Chapter One

Twisted Respect, Chess, and Gold String

Draco Malfoy was silent. The rain outside was deafening. Every drop on his second story windowsill echoed throughout the entire manor making it seem utterly empty- just as he liked it. His 5th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had brought the downfall of his father Lucius Malfoy. A malicious man was the eldest Malfoy, even his only son believed that. He was a man who hated emotion and viewed it as a weakness that was not to be tolerated, but now the famous Harry Potter had brought his arrest to Azkaban. It won't last, he told him self, what with the Dementors going to the Dark Side. He hated the Dementors.

Draco leaned back in his chair and put his book of Higher Level Potions down. He twirled his wand in between his fingers and recalled the last hours of the evening. Narcissa Malfoy had been very quite at dinner, and that was a rare occasion. With Lucius gone she had taken a terrible state of fidgeting and bad nerves. Lines of worry were frequently smudged across the Malfoy wife's face, and this made Draco suspicious. He had a love/hate relationship with his dearest mother. He hated her for being a fool and marrying his father and taking his abuse like it was a normal thing, and still claiming to love the man. Though, he loved her for loving him. When Lucius wasn't around she would treat him like a human being and pushed emotions in his life.

He had failed her at a young age, his father made sure of that. All his emotions were cast aside and he became the power-hungry person who believed that his father did no evil and that he was well above everyone else. A twisted respect, Draco was slowly seeing in his role model. Now, though, Draco was starting to realize that his father was in the wrong.

The rain picked up and lightning streaked the skies. The pale 16 year-old Slytherin stood up and let the black curtains fall over the window. He walked slowly out of his room and down the hall.

"Ello sir, is there some ting I can get you sir?" Mipps, one of the newer house elves, asked shakily.

"No." He growled and walked down the stairs into the family study, even though they hardly ever used it as a 'family'.

The scratching of a quill and rustling of papers wound its way to the young Malfoy's ears. His eyes met the form of his mother writing profusely on a dark red parchment. The worry lines were magnified on her forehead and her usually proper stature was strangely deformed as she hunched over to write faster.

"Mother?"

Narcissa Malfoy literally jumped up. "Yes Draco darling?" She always added the darling when Lucius was not around. She had been 'disciplined' once for calling him such a name and she made sure that would not happen again.

"What is that?" He inquired walking to the desk she sat behind.

"Oh this? It is nothing," She quickly said. "Just a letter to an old friend." With that she rolled the parchment up and tied it with a gold string.

"Gryffindor colors." He said in a disgusted tone.

Narcissa looked up at him for a moment then back to the letter. "Oh, how strange." And then in an after thought, "I hadn't noticed." She got up and walked into the next room saying that Corsica, her owl, would have to take her letter tomorrow, when the rain stopped.

He looked after the dark-haired woman and wondered what that was all about; he knew she had no friends now. His father would allow no such things, always suspicious of what she did. Another Lucius character flaw.

Draco grabbed another potion's book off of the shelf in the corner and walked unwillingly back to his room. "Great" he thought, "I'm spending the last part of my summer like that bookworm, mudblood Granger."

Many, many miles away sat Hermione Granger with her nose firmly planted in her favorite book- Hogwarts: A History.

"You read too much, you know?" Said Ron next to her as they sat in the Burrow. Hermione had ended up spending most of her summer with the Weasley family. She had broken down and told her parents what had happened with Voldemort coming back into power. She tactfully left out the part about the Department of Mysteries and being attacked by Death Eaters, but she told them that they were in danger being muggles and her being a witch, and being a witch whose best friend was the Boy-Who-Lived. She had spent the first few weeks pleading with them to go into hiding for a while, and reassured them that she would be perfectly safe at the Weasley's and Hogwarts.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger talked it over and could tell how serious their daughter was, and trusted her enough to ask Mrs. Granger's sister if they could stay a while in Spain with her. She heartily agreed, and offered the dentists jobs at a local Dental Care facility she owned, a family trade Hermione assumed. So, with the worry of her parent's well being gone she was halfway relieved…there was still the problem of the Boy-Who-Lived.

Hermione sighed. Harry Potter, although strong and brave, had taken many hits the last 5 years and it all seemed to make a mighty blow when Sirius died- his only hope for some kind of father. He had seemed to be copping with it when they left him at the train station to go home with those nasty Dursleys and when he was brought to the Burrow a few weeks ago, but Hermione knew he was beating himself up about it. He was just that kind of person- noble and almost always feeling guilty.

"Hermione!" Ron said waving his hand in front of the book, yanking her out of her thoughts.

"Yes Ron?" She asked calmly, but snapping her book shut. He had been following her all day and had not ceased insinuating that she was being boring.

"You wanna play some wizard's chess?" He asked with a sneaky grin, knowing he would cream her in it.

"Why don't you ask Harry?" She said annoyed.

He looked down at his sneakers and then twiddled his thumbs. "He won't play with me." This reminded Hermione of what a little boy Ron could be, but she could not help feeling sorry for him…and Harry.

"Ok, Ron, I'll play." She laughed. "But only ONE game."

--- 

The next morning, in a tower of Hogwarts, stood Dumbledore, his eyes sparkling, with a peculiar red piece or parchment and a gold string in his hand.


	2. The Golden Six

A/N: I hope you R&R!

Disclaimer: J.K Rolling? Me? Same person? No. Dangit!

**Flames and Icicles**

**Chapter Two**

The "Golden Six"

The last week at the Burrow was spent eating huge quantities of home cooked meals, and Hermione was sure that Ron would explode from massive food intake. The Order was still intact and still met at number Twelve Grimmauld place, but Alaster Moody had forbid the kids from staying there. Kreacher had gone to the only blood relatives of the Black's that he thought suitable in evilness. He had no doubt gone to the Malfoy Manor. So, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arranged for Harry to come and stay with them for most of the summer as well as Hermione.

Dumbledore was rarely seen in the household, but he had made a few stops to talk to Harry about furthering his Occlumency with him and not Snape and private talks with the Weasley adults. Fred and George, when not at their shop, would try to listen in on these conversations with a new invention called the 'Right-O Ears'. It never got old to see Mrs. Weasley chase them with the broom.

It was the day before they were scheduled to venture to Platform ¾ when Dumbledore paid another rare visit to the Burrow.

"Hello Miss Granger, may I have a word with you?" His eyes twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles. Hermione shot Harry and Ron a confused look and followed the Headmaster into the kitchen. Over the sound of many brushes magically cleaning their breakfast dishes, Dumbledore started.

"I received quite an interesting letter a few weeks ago." He paused as Hermione's curiosity ebbed, wondering what it had to do with her. "It contained a secret that has been guarded very closely for a very long time." He motioned for her to sit down at the dinning table and he followed suit in front of her. "I'm coming to you about this because I believe you are the best candidate for the favor I am about to impart on you." He stroked his beard at the second pause, almost driving the brown-eyed girl crazy. "There is always reason behind what I do, and in Dark Times I will do a lot. When term starts tomorrow I will ask you to, instead of going to the Gryffindor Tower after the feast, report to my office with your things for a slightly different instruction."

He stopped again and Hermione took her chance, "What different instruction?" He let off a small smile and waved his hand dismayingly, "Till tomorrow evening."

The older man stood up and pushed his chair in, stepping over a pair of dropped 'Right-O Ears'.

"Quite the charmers, aren't they?" Musing to himself about the quirkiness of the Weasley Twins, the Headmaster made his exit.

"You will stay at school for the holidays." Said Narcissa Malfoy, her pointed nose scrunched like she smelled rotten eggs. Her qualities of quietness and saintly behavior at the absence of her husband had indeed gone with that red letter, wherever it went.

Draco expected nothing else. He had not 'cuddled up' to her or shown that he acknowledged her love, but something had changed in her that made him slighly nervous. She was starting to get colder.

"Ok." He swiftly pecked her cheek and got into the black car and did not even look back as he left through the manor's gates.

It was sunny outside, blindingly so, thought Draco. He was still the pale boy he had always been and his hair was still slicked back in such a fashion that beamed the word 'authority'. He had grown a great few inches in height, and had firmed out his stomach a bit due to late night Quidditch practices in the courtyard. He was clad in a black sweater and matching trousers that seemed to fight with his graying eyes. "Now wonder the women love me…" He smirked at himself.

"Harry, Ron, Ginny! Come on!" Called Hermione standing with Crookshanks in her arms next to the Hogwarts Express. It's crimson paint gleamed in the sunlight and hooted in excitement as the students rushed around to get on the train. Tiny chaos ensued as the Trio plus one boarded the train and began the search for a compartment. They moved silently to the back of the train where they managed to luck up and find former members of the D.A. willing to share with them.

"Hello!" Beamed Neville Longbottom, fellow Gryffindor. Hermione was surprised to see that he had lost his baby fat but as he stood to shake hands with Harry and Ron she noticed that he was a few inches taller too.

"Hello Ginny…hello Ron." The often-strange Luna Lovegood said behind a new edition of the Quibbler, the front page reading: Dementors, Birthday Suits under the Robes. Hermione suppressed a snicker, and saw Ginny do the same.

"So how was your summer, Nev?" Asked Ginny sliding into a seat between him and Harry, across from Hermione, Ron, and to Ron's discomfort- Luna.

"It was alright, I suppose. Gran and I gave the good ole house a once over…and then a twice over… and that's about it for me. Just cleaned I guess…OH! But I did get this!" He reached under his seat to reveal a flower that glowed a mixture of blue and purple for the petals.

"It's not going to spray us is it?" Said Harry in a worried tone, ready to throw his hands up. Hermione and Ron looked at him confused.

"You two were with the perfects last year…"Muttered Harry, even though his bitterness for being withheld from the position was gone now.

"Oh my gosh! We need to go the perfects compartment!" Hermione jumped up, knocking Crookshanks off of her lap. Ron saw this as an opportunity to get away from the gaze of Luna and rightly agreed with Hermione and had no problem leaving the confined space they shared.

Ginny, presently the youngest Prefect of them, followed Hermione curtly as the ventured down the hall. It would be nice to say that their small talk lasted all they way up to the Prefect's compartment, but that was not what happened.

"Out of my way Mudblood." Sneered the newly arrived Malfoy. Ron balled up his fists and started to move forward, but Ginny was faster and maneuvered in between the boys.

"Honestly Malfoy," She said with rising sarcasm. "Is that all you have?" Ginny smirked at her closet girlfriend, and Hermione picked up on it.

"You would think he'd find another name after…what? 5 years?" She let out a false laugh and started to move around the Slytherin, but was cut off by him grabbing her forearm.

"There are worse things I could do to a muggle-born like you." Ron leaped at the pale boy and this time Ginny let him, but Hermione intervened the redhead.

"He's not worth it."

"He'll never be worth anything!" Seethed Ron, but followed Hermione with Ginny behind.

When out of ear shot Ginny commented to his rude behavior.

"Why the Hell Dumbledore made HIM a prefect is beyond my knowledge." That made Hermione think of her earlier conversation with their Headmaster: "There is always reason behind what I do, and in Dark Times I will do a lot." She guessed she would have to trust him, but just like Ginny she wondered, "What the hell!"

Twenty minutes later Ron, Hermione, and Ginny made their way back to their compartment. The Prefect meeting had been rather uneventful, just giving the newest members recognition and reiterating the rules. The other new Gryffindor Prefect was Colin Creevey, the boy that still had his camera around his neck. Ron had given the boy a suspicious glare when he sat down beside the youngest Weasley and started to talk. Hermione had just laughed. She had been aware of someone looking at her the whole time the new Heads talked, and was surprised to follow the gaze back to Draco Malfoy. As they left he bumped into Ron and told the 'Weasel' to watch his step. Ron, being Ron, lunged at him, but sadly lost his own footing and fell right into Colin, further igniting his camera to take a few unwanted pictures.

Harry and Neville were playing exploding snap when they entered.

"How was the meeting?" Asked Luna as she placed a chocolate frog in her mouth. She took the collector's card of Dumbledore and placed it in her pocket.

"Boring stuff." Muttered Ginny as she plopped down next to Harry. Hermione took the seat next to her, leaving Ron to sit between Luna and Neville.

"Did anything happen?" Asked Harry after his card exploded. "I mean, nothing about Vold-" He stopped as he saw the crinkle in Ron's complexion. "you know who?"

"No, there was no mention of it." Answered Hermione. She slightly wondered if any of the Slytherins in the cabin had any connections with the Dark Lord.

"We ran into Malfoy, the slimy git." Breathed Ginny. Harry looked at Ron who had turned red, but kept quiet, still upset about his fall in front of the said person. Harry noticed the look Hermione gave him and decided not to question it.

Twenty minutes proceeded to pass with small talk consisting of: more detailed summer happenings, the new DADA teachers, their new school books, classes, how well everyone did on their OWLs (Hermione made the highest with a nearly perfect score, Harry and Ron did quite well ranking the highest in Defense Against the Dark Arts portion, and Neville did rather well too, taking the highest in the Herbology part.), and of course, Quidditch. They all respectively left out talk of what had happened the previous year in the Department of Mysteries, and the rise of Voldemort. In a way it was respect for Harry and fear on everyone else's part, but Hermione could feel it. The bubbles of a pushed down question, or thought, waiting to float out or burst under pressure. Until a silence fell upon the new expanded trio. Hermione felt that the 'Golden Trio' would always be, but now she also knew that the Golden Three were now Golden Six. The incident in the Department of Mysteries had shown this. Risking their lives, they had all together gone head on into danger in hopes of saving Sirius. With the bravery and strength of Harry, the loyalty of Ron, the wit of Hermione, the love of Ginny, the quirkiness of Luna, and the innocence and friendliness ways of Neville they had formed a strong unity and Hermione was sure that this year would be spent the most with them. She was okay with that.

The silence was finally broken no less than 5 minutes after it started, with an unusual starter.

"Voldemort." Luna Lovegood stated. Everyone turned to her. The Ravenclaw girl's eyes shown big and bright, unlike her usually misty pool of gray. Her hair had lightened considerably, hinting that she had been in the sun, and was bundled up in a messy mess on top of her head. The necklace of bottle caps was strung proudly around her neck and her wand was kept over her left ear…you know…for safekeeping. Despite her weird attire, she had the look of seriousness etched on her face. The quirkiness of Luna Lovegood.

"What?" Asked a bewildered Harry. It was clear to see everyone was surprised by her little outburst.

"Voldemort." She stated again. Ron cringed at her side.

"Stop saying that!" He cried.

"But it's his name, I've learned to say it. And plus, He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is just tiring." She huffed as if exhausted.

Hermione stared blankly at the girl. Harry looked like he was about to smile, but the weight of what the name held kept his lips from turning up. Ginny and Neville glanced at each other oddly. Ron, however, looked at Luna like she was crazy.

"What about him?" Hermione killed the silence.

"I think we should all say his name." She looked at Ron in an off hand way. "Out loud." She stopped and touched her necklace of caps. "There was a man that Father talked to in Sweden, as we looked for the Krumple Horned Snorlack, and the man would not say his name. Don't you get tired of saying He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named, Harry?"

Their heads turned to Harry Potter, and believe it or not Harry managed a small smile. The strength of Harry Potter. "Why yes, Luna." He said gently. "That would be a grand idea." He looked questionably at the group. They looked uneasy, and when he was about to say to forget it a voice sounded.

"Voldemort." Said Ginny. Harry was surprised to hear her first. The fear of the Chamber of Secrets and Ginny having met the Dark Lord in person made the Boy-Who-Lived worried she would not say it. Hermione looked at the younger girl. She knew that fear of a name was silly and if the spirited Luna and Ginny could say it then…

"Voldemort." She gave a slight smile and felt Ginny squeeze her hand. The loving Ginny Weasley.

"Vo-Vold…Voldemort!" Cried Neville in a triumphant tone that almost made them believe that by saying his name he was gone. The innocence of Neville Longbottom. Hermione felt a pang of sympathy for him as she remembered why his parents were in St. Mungos.

Now it was Ron's turn. He was now pale and had been intent on looking at his sneakers. Silence filled the compartment again. Ginny looked at her brother with worried eyes, and Harry looked solemn.

"Hey Ron, it's ok if-" Luna put her hand up to stop the Boy Wonder and looked down at the Redhead. Placing a hand lightly on his shoulder,

"Come now, Ronald. Your closest friends are here and have said his name, and we all care. When Father tells me things that he puts in the Quibbler I always believe them because I know he loves me and would not lie to me-" Hermione almost huffed at this remark, but she had learned to be polite around the younger student and she could tell Luna was serious. "It won't hurt you. Now, repeat after me." She cleared her throat and everyone watched on intently. "Vol…" A barely audible Ronald Weasley echoed this catching them by surprise, excluding Luna who kept on. "...de… He repeated. "…mort…""Mort."

He raised his head and looked at Luna. "Vol-de-mort." He repeated this faster and then turned to Harry.

"Voledmort." His voice dropped down. The cabin was again, quiet.

"Correct, mate." Harry beamed at his best friend. Ginny, Neville, and Hermione heartily agreed to this.

The bubble that had been threatening to burst did in fact- burst. But Hermione believed it was a good one. The spiritual, absentminded Lovegood had made a small breakthrough in saying a name.

"Err, thanks, I guess." Ron said to Luna. She only smiled and put another chocolate frog into her mouth. Neville and Harry started a new game of Exploding Snap, while Ginny and Ron watched on. Hermione, sitting in front of the blond girl did something unexpected of her.

"Luna, may I read some of your Quibbler, please?"

( ---- )

A/N: R&R!


	3. A Trip for the Cat

A/N: I hope you R&R!

Disclaimer: J.K Rolling not me.

**Flames and Icicles**

**Chapter Three**

A Trip for the Cat

A light drizzle had began as the students left the train for Hogwarts. Hermione bustled along with Crookshanks in her arms. Harry, Neville, and Luna had made it to the carriages first. Hermione, Ron, Colin, and Ginny had to finish their prefect duties. Maybe it was fate what happened next, or maybe a sign that something needed to change, or it might have simply been the fact the Crookshanks dug his nails into Hermione's skin, the ground was slippery, and she stepped on the end of her robe combined that made her trip and topple into Draco Malfoy.

"Crookshanks, no!" She yelled at the fluff ball pouncing after the loose thread on Ginny's robe, and soon hidden in the crowd.

"Get off of me you Mudblood!" Bellowed Draco from under her. She then realized that she was practically laying on him, his chest against hers, his face bellow hers…you know that kind of thing. Not even a spark flew between the two.

Hermione shifted her face into an angry crumple and got up quickly, not wanting to touch him any moment longer. He seemed to reiterate this notion by the look of disgust on his face. Then in a sickening twist his anger turned into a smirk.

"Granger, I know you want me but really did you have to push me in the mud?" Sarcasm dripped from every syllable.

"I'm sorry Malfoy, I just thought ferrets liked the mud." His face swarmed back into a look of pure anger. "Did I say something wrong?" Usually this was when Crabbe and Goyle, his thug sidekicks, would threateningly step forward, but they were no where to be seen. 'Probably lost, or looking for the dinning cart still.' She mused. "I may be a filthy mudblood as you say, but now I'm not the only filthy one MALFOY."

She then walked away from the boy with mud on the back of his cloak, bristling about her encounter.

"Hey Hermione! Over here!" Called Ginny. The redhead was standing next to a carriage, and had a very familiar cat in her arms. "He attacked my heels." She giggled, but then saw Hermione, apparently still bristling. "What happened?"

"This cat made me fall on Malfoy!" She pointed accusingly at the fur ball. Then sighed. "But I love you still." She took the cat in her arms. Ginny laughed, but only after asking the girl if she was ok from the tripping experience.

"Nothing I can't handle." Hermione soon forgot about the 'Slytherin Prince' as she entered the carriage and sat with her friends.

((((((((((--))))))))))

"WHAT!" Asked Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger in unison. The brown-haired girl regained herself and blushed at the outburst. "I don't understand sir… I thought only Head Boy and Head Girl got that. I mean we aren't old enough to take that, right?" The Beginning of the Year feast has just finished and as instructed, Hermione grabbed her things and headed for the Headmaster'' office. To her dismay, Draco Malfoy was already there- also on instruction.

"There is no way I'm sharing a common room and all that stuff with her!" Hermione thought his term "all that stuff" sounded really intelligent, in a completely sarcastic way.

Dumbledore waited patiently until they stopped then went on. "Yes, Miss Granger, I am aware that you and Mr. Malfoy are not our Heads this year, but you will be next year and this is why you are here." He paused for effect, "Things have changed a good deal since last school year…and now a slightly different approach is being taken to train, if you will, our future Head Girl and Head Boy." He stopped and let this register through the two teens.

"So. We'll be the Heads next year?" Hermione could not hold her voice steady as it shook with excitement. She glanced at Draco to see his face quipped with curiosity. Then back to the Professor who wore a brilliantly radiant purple cloak lined with shining silver stars and a matching hat. Draco always thought the man had guts to wear such outfits. A Malfoy would never wear such embarrassing garments.

"Yes, Miss Granger. Under the conditions that you tell none of your peers and let them be surprised next year, and that you share a commons room till February."

Hermione bite her lip in doubt. Sure she was beyond excited about being the Head girl next year, even IF it was with Malfoy as Head boy. But on the other hand she would have to basically LIVE with him until February, AND she could not tell her friends! What would she say when they asked her why in the Hell she was living with Malfoy!

Draco seemed to be thinking along the same lines and asked pensively, "What will we say to these 'friends we aren't allowed to tell' when they ask why we aren't staying in our regular rooms?" It was a rudely put, but Hermione wanted to know also. She had never been good at lying.

Dumbledore stroked his beard and a familiar something twinkled in his eyes. "Well you two are the top of your class… Tell them the part truth." They looked at him in full confusion. "You are working for me."

A/N: R & R!

Thankx for reviewing: Total Utopia Babi!


	4. Bathroom Warfare

A/N: I hope you R&R!

Disclaimer: Ok by now you should KNOW that I…dear RuRoo…am not, will not, and never was J.K Rolling…except that one time at band camp…0-0.

**Flames and Icicles**

**Chapter Four**

Bathroom Warfare

Hermione was a bit stunned. Spending most of the school year with her enemy, plus the agony of sharing a common room with him! She sighed inwardly. Harry and Ron would hate this especially. But as Hermione followed the Headmaster and Malfoy up, yet another, flight of stairs, her curiosity of their 'training' began to rise.

"Ah, here we are." Dumbledore said as he halted in front of a very lovely portrait. It was beautiful. There was a mermaid in it and the thing that made the woman so breathtaking is that she wasn't lovely at all. She looked like an average Joe, well as average as one mermaid could look, her hair was to her shoulders and black, and she had hazel eyes that were not striking at all. But in the way she sat on the shore of her picture, made her beautiful. She looked so important, and if she had legs and walked out into another portrait, Hermione betted she would follow. A born leader is what she looked like. 'Harry would like this.' She thought.

"Password, please." She said informatively. Dumbledore turned to them, but spoke to the mermaid, who swatted away a strand of her strait hair.

"Pectus Conversatio." He said in Latin. "That will be your password until you decide to make a new one, that you both agree upon." He said knowingly to the 6th years. Hermione nodded and Malfoy grunted. "Well. I must be off now. It will be plain to see what rooms are yours." He motioned through the open portrait. "You will receive further instructions tomorrow, as information on your Head training. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Professor." Said Hermione politely. She rolled her eyes when Malfoy pushed past her and into the next room. 'This. Will. Be. A. Very. Long. Year.' She mentally swore.

The room inside was grand, even Draco- the boy that lived in a manor and was basically given everything of value, was surprised. It was a big room, that was lavishly decorated in dark green and crimson everything. There stood bookcases against the wall to the right that held a bookworm's dream in their oak casings. A dark green couch, a crimson loveseat, and a dark green recliner stood in the middle of the room followed by a dark oak coffee table that separated them, and to the left wall stood a brick fireplace that looked awfully lonely. The walls were a rich cream color, one of the only things not school color schemed, and the carpet was a dark crimson.

Then came three doors. This is when it occurred to them…

"Oh no! Don't tell me I have to share a bathroom with you!" Cried Hermione in despair.

"I should be the upset one here! Sharing a toilet with a filthy mudblood! The shame!"

Hermione's face contorted into anger and she threw him a rather nasty look. With that she grabbed her things and headed for the far right door with the face of a lion on it and slammed it accordingly.

"Finally." Draco breathed to himself. He too went to his room, the left door with a snake on it.

Hermione was amazed at her room, any Gryffindor would be. To her left stood a brilliant oak desk equipped with four drawers and an oak chair with a crimson cushion. Across from that sat a tiny love seat that was, just guess, crimson and had crimsons and gold decorated pillows, two on each cushion. Next to that was a small walk-in closet that turned out to have a small dresser against the furthest wall. 'More than enough space.' She thought before walking back into the main room. Her bed was so pretty that she squealed and dove onto it. With light gold banisters with carvings of lions, the bed had a crimson comforter and the sheets were gold. The pillows held the same Gryffindor look. On the left stood a nightstand, and on the right stood a lovely full-length mirror with white and gold edgings. As much as she thought the room was beautiful she would have gone crazy if the walls weren't painted beige, to keep the crimson and gold scheme down a bit, and it helped to have a window over her nightstand.

"Mrrow." Came the deformed cry of a cat. Hermione looked over and noticed for the first time a rather big cat under the desk.

"Crookshanks! I didn't even see you there!" And with that the girl hopped off the bed and went to her loveable fat cat.

"Wow. You would think they'd have over done the 'Slytherin' look." Drawled Malfoy as he looked at his room. It was much the same as Hermione's but instead of the colors of crimson and gold it showed the overly decorated colors of dark green and silver. He unpacked his things into the closet, taking up almost all of the unnecessary space and placed his Wizard's clock on the nightstand. He only bothered to make it keep track of him, but even then he made the places very limited by only putting 'Home' 'Hogwarts' and 'Other'.

He yawned and stretched his arms. What he needed was a shower. Agreeing with his conscious he grabbed a pair of black boxers and a white tee-shirt and began for his door when he heard the opening of a door, then pitter patter of feet, then another door closing. Knowing what had happened, he opened the door and ran to the lavatory's entrance.

"Granger!" He growled as the door was locked. "I was about to take a shower!" He yelled.

"Can't I get any PEACE IN THE BATHROOM!" Thundered the girl from the other side, the door muffling her voice a little, but it didn't take her anger away.

"Not when I was about to use it!" He said.

"Well everything isn't about you!" She flung the door open to show a seething brunette with a toothbrush hanging out of her mouth. A trail of toothpaste and water trickled down her chin. Draco looked at her and noticed that he had not been the only one to change this summer. Granger had grown taller, but he still looked down at her. Her wild mane of hair had straightened out a bit but only because it had become longer to the point just above her elbows. Other than that he did not look for any more changes because to Malfoy- Hermione Granger was a nuisance.

"Granger, let me put it in terms you understand…get out so I can take my shower and go to bed, even though it's you who needs the beauty sleep." SLAM. Door in his face.

The faucet started to run and then it shut off. Draco tapped his foot impatiently. A faint cling could be heard, then the door flung open.

"There you go, sir Malfoy." Hermione mocked, and pushed past him with a look of disgust. She then disappeared in her room.

"Girls. Wait no. Granger." He growled to himself and proceeded to his nightly grooming.

An hour later a squeaky clean, boxer wearing, hair slicked back, Draco Malfoy left a steamy bathroom. It was of no surprise to see the infamous bookworm, Hermione, to have a book in her hands. It was new to see that the said brown-haired girl of 16 was fast asleep, on the love seat. She was in her pajamas he gathered from seeing her clad with drawstring blue pants with little moons on them and a matching button-up shirt. He was silently reminded of their Headmaster's bizarre outfits, and a brief wondering of what Professor Dumbledore slept in. He shook his head on that thought; maybe he did not want to know that.

Treading quietly, he made it over to the back of the couch. A cream colored blanket with dark green and crimson stars were draped over the back of the couch. He again glanced at his arch foe and realizing how damned cold it was, grabbed the blanket. In one defining sweep that changed everything, he dropped the blanket on top of her. "No one wants to see that." He thought to himself, leaving his good deed with an excuse.

Malfoy left for his room without another thought on it, and cringed as he stepped into it. "I like more than green and silver." He bluntly said to himself and got into bed.

A very disgruntled Hermione entered the Great Hall the next morning. Her robe was crinkled and her hair was disheveled. She plopped down in between Harry and Ron. Ginny sat in front of Harry and Neville and Seamus next to her. Hermione took no notice and grabbed a piece of toast and started buttering it madly. Everyone looked at her strangely.

"Hey Hermione." Harry said timidly. "What did Professor Dumbledore want you for last night?"

"Yeah and why are you getting here so late, classes are starting soon." Ron said finishing his food, Harry and Ginny relieved that the spray of breakfast would stop from his mouth. "And why is your hair like th-"

"Ron! Please!" Hermione snapped. Ron looked turned a light pink. "What's up with you?"

"Sorry. Malfoy didn't wake me up this morning! That git! I could have missed class!" The others did not seem to mind that thought, but focused on the Malfoy part.

"Why would…Malfoy be anywhere near you?" Asked Ginny.

Remembering her promise to Professor Dumbledore she answered with, "I was assigned a new room until February and I have to share it with that ferret, Malfoy." Everyone's jaw dropped and before their comments rushed at her she continued. "Since we are the top of our class, he is making us do some kind of project. I don't even know what it is yet, now that I think about it-"

"So you have to SHARE a commons room with him!" Said an angry Ron Weasley, Harry looking much the same way.

"And a bathroom." She grumbled back.

"That's horrible!" Squeaked Ginny. The youngest Weasley managed to sound just like her mother.

"Have you talked to Dumbledore about it? I mean he has to know we are enemies with Malfoy! He's DANGEROUS!" Said Harry.

"He's probably a Death Eater too!" Fumed Ron. "What is he thinking making you LIVE WITH A DEATH EATER!" A few people looked over and Ron dropped his voice.

"No. Professor Dumbledore is the one that came up with this idea so I'm betting he won't stop it. Yes, I know that Malfoy is an evil, slimy, git, but I'll be all right. He's no actual threat any ways. Just name calling and embarrassment. Again nothing I CAN'T handle." And with that she got another piece of toast and buttered it unmercifully.

((((((((((---))))))))))

A/N: R & R!

Special thankx to the following viewers: **Song of Rain, ThreatenedWriter, elka78, and Michelle! **You were all so nice! Thank you! And for you readers, if these reviewers have stories, don't hesitate to read them!

Oh, and 'Pectus Conversatio' means Heart Way.


End file.
